Trunk.



F. W. MEYER.

TRUNK.

APPLICATION HLBD DEG. 16. 1912.

Fatented 1990.22, 1914.

LLQSS.

UNITED sriirirs PATENT orricr..

FRANK W. MEYER, OF OSI-IKOSI-I, WISCONSIN, ASSIG-NOR TO TI-IE OSHKOSH TRUNK COMPANY, OF OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

TRUNK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

Application filed December 16, 1912. Serial No. 736,883.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK W. MEYER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Oshkosh, in the county of Vinneba go and State of Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in rIrunks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to trunks or cases having an outer casing provided with drawers or slidable receptacles adapted to form compartments, and to be converted into receptacles or compartments of various sizes.

rIhe principal object of the invention is to provide a trunk or case having an outer casing with drawers or slidable compartmenttorming sections or receptacles within the outer casing, and adapted to be converted into independently movable receptacles or compartments oi different or of varying dimensions, in such a manner that a compartment may comprise or be formed by any two of such receptacles as desired.

.I further object of the invention is to provide a trunk or case having a series of drawers, compartment-forming sections, or slidable receptacles adapted to form compartments the number and sizes of which may be varied as desired by connecting or disconnecting adjacent drawers, receptacles, or sections, and to enable the bottoms of one or more of such receptacles to be moved to a position which will leave a compartment foi-ined of a plurality of sections unobstructed, and enable the4 adjustable or foldable bottom to be utilized for connecting the desired receptacles or sections, whereby the compartments thus formed of one or more sections, as desired, will each comprise a separate, independently movable receptacle or drawer the number and dimensions of which may be varied, as desired.

Other and further objects of the invention will appeal' from an examination of the following description and claims and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists in the features, combinations, and details of construction herein described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in vertical section of a trunk or casing constructed in accordance with my improvements, with the lower portion of the saine broken away, said section being taken on line lhl of Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a view in ver-' showing the two upper sections, receptaclesk or drawers illustrated in Figs. l and 2, with the upper drawer or receptacle inverted and its adjustable or foldable bottom member in vertical position and connected with the lower drawer or section, and showing a hat-supporting member and bracket for connecting a plurality of the drawers or compartment-forming sections so that they will form a single compartment or slidable receptacle; Fig. 1i, a detail View in vertical section, showing the manner of connecting the adjustable or toldable bottom with the main body portion of the drawer or receptacle of which it forms a part; Fig. 5, an enlarged detail view of the connecting bracket and hat support shown in Fig. 3, showing the manner of connecting the bracket with the supports of each of a plurality of compartment-forming sections; and Fig. G, a detail view of one of the supporting and guiding strips for slidably supporting the drawers or sections, and showing the slot or space between the adjacent drawers or receptacles for admitting the guiding strip when two sections are united so as to form a single compartment, said figure being taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

In constructing a trunk or case in accordance with my invention and improvements, I provide an outer casing having end walls a, side walls Z), a back or bottom wall c and a front wall or cover rl secured to the main body portion'of the casing in any desired ordinary or well known manner, all forming an outer casing which may be of any desired proportions and formed of any desired suitable inaterial. The interior space e which is inclosed by the outer casing thus formed is divided into a series of compartments by a 'plurality of drawers or slidable receptacles,

ported in such a manner that its weight will not rest upon the bottom of the receptacle in which it is contained so as to be injured or distorted thereby.

Handles 4 are provided for each of the drawers or compartment-forming sections adapted to enable the same to be readily moved into and out of position to be inclosed within the outer casing- By the above arrangement it will be seen that each of the compartment-forming sections or drawers is adapted to be used and operated independently and in such a manner that each forms a separate compartment and separate movable section, when desired, and that the number of compartments may be diminished by inverting one each of any two of said sections and connecting them in the manner above described so as to form a compartment of greater dimensions than that formed by any single section or drawer, and that when a plurality of the sections are so connected as to form a single compartment the single compartment or receptacle thus formed is movable independently of the other sections or compartments and is adapted to afford security and protection for any article or articles placed therein, and to enable articles which are too large to be contained within a single section to be placed in a compartment thus formed by a plurality of sections.

I claim:

l. A convertible trunk, comprising a trunk section having a compartment, drawers positioned within said compartment, one of said drawers being invertible to form. a single space when combined with the other drawer, and means connecting the drawers together when one of said drawers is in inverted position.

2. In a trunk, the combination'of an outer casing, a plurality of compartment-forming sections movably mounted in the outer casing, each comprising a main body having side and end walls, and a bottom member foreach compartment-forming section; the bottom member of at least one of said sections being adapted to divide the space inclosed by said plurality of sections into a plurality of compartments in one position of such bottom member, and being movable into position to extend into the next adjacent section, to enable said plurality of sections to form an undivided movable compartment, and means adapted to engage and hold said bottom member in position extending into said next adjacent section.

3. In a receptacle of the class described, the combination'of a plurality of compartment-forming sections, each comprising a main body having side and end walls, a bottom member for each section, the bottom member of at least one of said sections being normally located in position to divide the space inclosed by said plurality of sections into a' plurality of compartments and being movable into position to extend into the next adjacent section, means for securing the bot-tom member to the section of which it forms a part, and means for removably securing said bottom member to said next adjacent section.

l. In a trunk, the combination of an outer casing forming a receptacle, a plurality of compartment-forming sections located inside of the outer casing, each comprising a main body having side and end walls, a bottom member for each compartment-forming section, the bottom member of at least one of said sections being adapted to divide the space inclosed by said plurality of sections into a plurality of compartments in one position of said bottom member and to extend into the next adjacent section in a second position, means for securingthe bottom member in engagement with the section of which it forms a part, means for removably securing said bottom member in engagement with said next adjacent section, and means for slidably supporting the compartment-forming sections in the outer casing. y 4

5. In a receptacle of the class described, the combination of a plurality of compartment-forming sections, each comprising a main body having side and end walls, a bottom member for each section, the bottom member of at least one of said sections being normally horizontally disposed and located in position to divide the space inclosed by said plurality of sections into a plurality of compartments and being movable into position to extend vertically into the next adjacent section, means for supporting the bottom member in normal horizontal position, and means for securing said bottom member in vertical position in engagement with said next adjacent section.

6. In a trunk, the combination of an outer casing forming a receptacle, a plurality of compartment-forming sections slidably mounted in the outer casing, each comprising a main body having side and end walls, one of said sections being movable to inverted position, a bottom member for each compartment-forming section, the bottom member of at least one of said sections being adaptedto di-vide the space inclosed by said plurality of sections into a plurality of compartments in one vposition of said bottom member and to extend into the next adjacent section when the section of which it forms a part is in inverted position, means for connecting the bottom member with the main body of the section oi' which it forms a part, and means for securing said bottom member in engagement with the next adjacent member.`

7 In a device .of the class described, the

combination of a plurality ot compartmentfonnng sections, 'each comprising a main body having side and end walls, 'and a bottom Amember for eaoli section, the bottom member of at least one of said sections being in hinged 'engagement with the main body of the section of which it forms a part and adapted to extend below the level or the top or' the next adjacent lower section when the 'seo-'tion of which the bottom member forms a part is in inverted position above sueh lower section.

8. ln a device of the class described, the combination "of plurality of compartmentorming sections, each comprising a main body having side and end walls and a bottom member, the bottom member of one of said sections being movable into position to extend below the level of the top of the next adjacent lower section when the section or which said bottom member forms a part is in inverted position 'above such lower section, and means for connecting said bottom member with both ot said 'sections in position to torni an upright inner side wall portion 'of a receptacle comprising said plurality or connected sections.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of plurality of compartmentforming sections, each comprising a main body having side and end walls, one of said sections being movable to inverted position, Aand Ileaving an adjustable bottom member adapted lto extendinto and in engagement with one side wall or the next adjacent lower section when the section of .vhicli the bottom member forms a part is in inverted position above such lower section, means for removably holding said adjustable bottom-'forming member in engagement with thelowe'rinost section into which it extends, and in position to connect said sections 'on one side thereof, and means tor connecting the opposite sides of the connected sections.

10. 1n a device of the class described, the combination of a plurality of compartmentor'ming sections, each comprising Va main body having side and end walls and a bottom member, the bottom member of at least one of said sections being movable into position to extend below the level of the top of the next adjacent lower section when the section of which said bottom member forms a part is in inverted position above siich lower section, means for removably securing said bottom-forming member in engagement with the lowermost section into which it extends, socket members mounted upon the upright wall portions oi' the superposed sections and in s'uperposed relation to each other, and a connecting member having iipwardly and downwardly extendingA end portions extending into said socket members and forming a connection between said superposed sections.

1l. In a device of the class described, the combination of a plurality of compartmentforming sections, each comprising a main body having side and end walls and a bottom member, the bottom member of at least one of said sections being movable into position to extend below the level of the top of the next adjacent lower section ywhen the section of which said bottom member forms a 'part is in inverted position above such lower section, means tor removably securing said bottoni-forming member in engagement with the lowerinost section into which it extends, socket members mounted upon the upright wall portions oi' the superposed sections and in superposed relation to each other, and a connecting bracket having upwardly and downwardly extending end portions extending into said socket members and forming -a connection between said superposed sections, said bracket comprising a bracket arm extending at an angle with respect to said socket-engaging portions, and adapted to form a support for an varticle to be contained in the receptacle formed by said connected sections.

V152. ln a receptacle ot the class described, the combination of an outer casing, a plurality of superposed lcompartment-iorming sections located inside or tbe `outer casing, each comprising a main body having side and end walls, a bottom member for each section, the bottom member of at least one of said sections being adap'ted to divide the space inclosed by said p'lii'rali'ty oil sections into a plurality ot'compartments in one position or said bottom member, and to extend into the next adjacent section in a second position, lower supporting members Yupon the inner walls of the outer casing and in supporting engagement with the lower one of s'aid plurality or sections, and upper supporting members located adjacent to the opposite ends of the upper one oit' said plurality of sections and adapted to admit said movable 110 bottoni member therebetween, the walls of said `'sections being so constructed and arrangedA as to provide a space therebetween adapted to 'admit said ripper supporting members between the walls of said sections. 115

13. In a receptacle or' tbe class described, the combination of an enter casing, a plurality of superposed compartment-'forming sections located inside of the outer casing, each comprising a main body having side and end 120 walls, one of said sections being adapted to be moved to invertedposition, a bottom member for each of said sections, the bottom member of one of 'said sections being movable from horizontal position to vertical position 125 and adapted to extend into the next adjacent section 'when in vertical position, upp'er'supportiiigl members located upon the inner in upright position and adapted to admit said movable bottom member between said supports when the bottom member is in vertical position, and lower supporting members upon the inner walls of the outer casing in supporting engagement with the lower one of said plurality of sections.

14:. In a receptacle of the class described, the combination of an outer casing, a plurality of superposed compartment-forming sections located inside of the outer casing, each comprising amain body having side and end walls, one of said sections being adapted to be moved to inverted position, a bottom member for each of said sections, the bottom member of one of said sections being movable from horizontal position to vertical position and adapted to extend into the next adjacent section when in vertical position, upper supporting members located upon the inner walls of the outer casing in position to slidably support the upper one of said sec- Copies tions in upright position and adapted to admit said movable bottom member between said supports when the bottom member is in vertical position, and lower supporting members upon the inner walls of the outer casing in supporting engagement with the lower one of said plurality of sections, the walls of said sections being so constructed as to provide a space therebetween adapted to admit said upper supporting members between and out of engagement with said sections when the upper section is in inverted position.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 12th day of December A. D. 1912.

FRANK W. MEYER.

Witnesses:

A. H. WENDLAND, W. E. KRIPPEREL.

of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

